Toyota T100
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| Toyota T100 | |
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| Manufacturer: | Toyota |
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| Production: | 1993-1998 |
| Assembly: | Tokyo, Japan Gibson County, Indiana |
| Successor: | Toyota Tundra |
| Class: | Full-size pickup truck |
| Engine: | 2.7 L 3RZ-FE I4 150 hp 3.0 L 3VZ-E V6 150 hp 3.4 L 5VZ-FE V6 190 hp |
| Transmission: | 4-speed automatic overdrive 5-speed manual overdrive |
| Wheelbase: | 121.8 in. |
| Length: | 204.3 in. |
| Width: | 75.2 in. |
| Height: | 71.6 in. |
| Fuel capacity: | 24 gal. |
The Toyota T100 was a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in 1993 to compete with the American-made Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, and the Chevrolet C/K. But the T100 was criticized for being too small to appeal to buyers of full-size work trucks, and the lack of a V8 engine was also a serious limiter to sales. T100 sales were roughly flat at 40,000 in the United States for each year of production. During this same time, General Motors pickup sales were roughly 700,000 per year, while Ford sales surged from 550,000 to nearly 850,000 and Dodge went from 100,000 to 400,000, though it wasn't Toyota's goal to beat them in sales.
As Toyota firmly established itself in the North American compact truck market in the 1980s and 1990s, it aspired to capture part of the lucrative full-size truck market. The T100 boasted a full-size (8 ft) bed but retained the engine, frame, and suspension characteristics of a compact truck. It was barely larger than the mid-size Dodge Dakota but smaller than a typical full-size pickup. Though economical and reliable, it sold poorly. The T100 was sometimes considered too small, despite being bigger than Toyota's other truck, the Tacoma. Despite those drawbacks, the T100 was light-weight and fast for a pickup truck.
When it was introduced, it was only available as a regular cab with a 3.0 L V6. In 1994, a 2.7 L I4 engine was added. 1995 saw Toyota responding to the demands of the market with an Xtra Cab model and larger 3.4 L V6 replacing the old 3.0 L. The T100 was manufactured and partially engineered by Toyota-subsidiary Hino. Three trim lines were offered: the base model, the DX, and the top-of-the-range SR5. The maximum towing capacity was 5,200 lb (2,360 kg), but consumers wanted a V8.
T100s were assembled in Tokyo, Japan until 1996 when production moved to the United States since the opening of Toyota's new Gibson County, Indiana plant. Before moving production to the United States, the T100 was the last Japanese-built pickup made for North America. The T100 was discontinued in 1998 and replaced by the larger Tundra.
